World Tour player Joyce Joshua assists with volleyball programme in Vanuatu

Held from March 4 to 8, the programme was part of a broader project funded by an Australian Government Pacific Sport Development grant under the Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP).

Luganville, Vanuatu, March 18, 2013 – A four day volleyball programme - held in Luganville in the Sanma Province in early March – was organised by the Vanuatu Volleyball Federation in collaboration with beach volleyball representative and FIVB World Tour player Joyce Joshua.

The programme focused on training local youth leaders, teachers and volleyball coaches in all aspects of indoor and beach volleyball giving them practical skills in the game as well as in umpiring and competition management.

The project also aims to train local people to become volleyball coaches, in order to promote the game as well as to provide opportunities in leadership and teaching experience and the possibility of long-term involvement within the sport.

Joshua, who first started playing on the World Tour in 2009 and has a best result of 25th in last year's Beijing Grand Slam, gave practical demonstrations on playing beach volleyball.

With the help of Newman Tangis (Sanma Sports officer) and Sakaraia Daniel (Sanma Secretary General) the programme attracted participants from South Santo, Fanafo and the Northern Care Youth Centre (NCYC).The programme was well received and the people of province expressed their interest in having more training in the future.

The Vanuatu Volleyball Federation are also trying to work with members of the SANMA Volleyball Association to get a new league in the Luganville area up and running in the coming months.

All equipment used during the course was distributed throughout the community and to local schools.